After going through all the anxieties of pregnancy, your little baby has come into the world filling your home with love and joy. Now it’s time to start a new routine and face new concerns! Of course, you are eager to put your dreams into practice and take your child on many outings. But what will these outings be like and when should the first month outing happen for your baby? The baby in the first month of life is very fragile and their immunity is not yet fully developed. Therefore, the risk of contamination or catching a disease is very high and dangerous at this stage of life.

Can You Go Out in the Baby’s First Month of Life?

It’s important and ideal to avoid outings during the baby’s first month, to reduce contact with viruses and bacteria present in all environments with many people. These viruses and bacteria might be harmless for adults and even older children, but they are a big threat to newborn babies who have not yet been vaccinated and still have very low immunity.

When to Start Taking the Baby Out?

The best recommendation is to start outings from the baby’s second month of life onwards. The vaccines will be up to date and breastfeeding for a while will be enough to produce antibodies against the main infectious diseases during this period. Even during this time, always choose calm and peaceful outings such as visiting family members (as long as nobody is sick, of course) or going to a park to enjoy some sunshine (always remembering the recommended time for babies). Be mindful of the ideal temperature for the day, not too hot and not too cold, and always dress the newborn appropriately. People often think that newborns feel colder than adults, but they’re mistaken. In the car, the baby car seat should be placed in the back seat, facing away from the dashboard, until your baby weighs 10 kilograms or until their first birthday. If you want to attach the baby car seat to the stroller, position it facing you so you can easily check how the little one is doing. When the baby is a bit older, you can already position them to enjoy the scenery throughout the outing.

Baby’s Outing Bag

When going out with your baby, never forget to pack their bag. The recommendation is to take a bag with several compartments to carry all the necessary baby care items. Inside the bag, the items that should never be left out are:

  • Plastic bag for dirty clothes;
  • Jacket with hood;
  • Favorite toy to distract them;
  • Light blanket;
  • Complete change of clothes (bodysuit, onesie or pants and shirt, and socks);
  • Pacifier if the baby uses one;
  • Baby wipes and diapers;
  • Diaper rash cream.
  • Bottle if not breastfeeding;

Don’t forget to take any medications they are using and that they will need while away from home. Also remember to take them out of the bag after getting home to avoid certain accidents.

Outing Duration

The ideal outings should last between 15 and 30 minutes and always from the baby’s second week onwards. But don’t forget, stick to gentle outings until the baby is three months old, since not all places are suitable due to the baby’s low immunity. The newborn needs 17 to 20 hours of sleep per day, in a quiet, calm, and peaceful environment. This rest period is essential to ensure the baby’s development and to establish a healthy routine. Over time and very gradually, the length of the outing can be increased, but always making sure not to disrupt the baby’s routine. When the baby is over two months old, and parents start staying out for more than three hours at a time, the baby’s routine is changed, and the baby feels this impact. If these long outings that disrupt the routine happen frequently, it’s normal for the baby to seem more irritable and have trouble sleeping at their usual times.

Where Not to Go With a Newborn Baby?

As already mentioned above, due to a newborn’s low immunity, you need to be very cautious when going out and visiting certain places. The best option is to avoid it as much as possible and, if necessary, keep it as brief as you can. The problem isn’t leaving the house, it’s that the baby may come into contact with different airborne infections and germs from other people. That’s why it’s best to wait until the baby is four months old, when the most important vaccines have already been given. If you need to take the baby to the shopping mall, supermarket, or busier places, try to go during quiet hours with less crowding. Be careful and avoid letting people pick up your baby, especially touching their little hands without washing theirs first. At parties or family gatherings, keep your baby in a quiet place, if possible a bit away in a stroller. The stroller or baby carrier can also keep others from crowding over the baby. See Also: Caring for Your Home After Baby Arrives Photo: ullakaren